Tag Archives: spring produce

Nothing is quite so satisfying and delicious as enjoying a brief crop of produce in its prime. Spring peas are a great example. They burst into bloom in the early spring, swell to full pods, and then quickly disappear, leaving round seeds to dry and protect until next year.

The beauty of frozen produce is that you can lock in all the enzymes and living nutrients of a fresh item and keep it for use many days or weeks or even months later. Flash frozen vegetables can be the next best thing to right-from-the-dirt produce, and maybe even better because it is washed and minimally processed. This way, you can enjoy this fresh taste of spring any time of the year!

The cream sauce is made with a minimal amount of fat. I used some half and half and some regular 2% milk. Add fresh grated Parmesan cheese and if you desire a tbsp or so of flour for a thick, creamy, salty sauce that tastes like velvet and will satisfy any Alfredo lover. You can use other types of cheeses too, don’t be shy about trying mozzarella or reggiano, asiago or feta.

Ingredients:

1/2 – 1 cup fresh or frozen peas

1 cup torn greens of choice (kale, swiss chard, collards, spinach)

2 slices thick cut bacon (optional, you can omit for a vegetarian recipe or use turkey bacon instead)

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 cup milk

1/4 – 1/2 cup grated hard cheese

Salt & pepper to taste

1/2 pound cooked fresh pasta, drained

Step 1: Boil and drain your pasta. In a frying pan, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove and drain all but about 2 tsp of fat*, and crumble the bacon. Cook the peas and greens in the bacon fat for 5-10 minutes, until softened.

Step 2: To the pan, add the milks and bring to a slow simmer. Add the cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well until thickened, add flour 1/2 tbsp at a time if desired. Pour it over the hot drained pasta and top with a sprinkle of fresh grated cheese!

*If you want a vegetarian dish, omit the bacon and use vegetable of coconut oil instead!

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